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The War On Drugs Fails After Decades Of FocusJuly 3, 2014

The war on drugs has particularly most recently caused quite the uproar as the country proclaims its exposed heroin and general opiate problem is a serious nation-wide concern. Though all drugs in particular seem to be the major issue, the war on drugs has been argued in the past over whether the abuse of drugs is a matter of criminal intent or a health issue affecting even small children that first pick up a substance.

Trillions of dollars have been dwindled away on the war on drugs in attempts to ward off gangs associated with drugs, oblige strict country border laws, and lock offenders in prison for related drug charges. Many are beginning to pose the argument that a new method must be unleashed when it comes to the war on drugs. It’s not even just affecting one country at this point. The entire world is in jeopardy with a growing drug problem that hasn’t been resolved as promised as far back as half a century ago.

The War On Drugs In Society

The war on drugs is far too commonly misunderstood. The United States in specific has built a society where medications are prescribed by doctors and psychiatrists both, all too quickly and frequently. In addition to this, though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve of all natural supplements and alleged remedies, there are a decent amount on the shelves of local pharmacies, retailers, and grocery stores. Then there are drugs like alcohol, which is perfectly legal to buy and consume at age 21, and nicotine in cigarettes for the legal age of the state. So, not even looking at the underground illegal drug trade and abuse, The United States already sends a mixed message with its authorization of specific drugs with proclaimed reasoning for defense of as to why certain types of drugs are approved. This does not ease the war on drugs by any means. At the same time it becomes a gray area for society because people who are truly sick, whether it is mental or physical, do genuinely need medication and are deserving of the right to take it.

Alcohol and Cigarettes Complicate The War On Drugs

As previously stated, some of the most deadly drugs, like alcohol and cigarettes, are perfectly legal to certain ages and even easily attainable for those that are not of the allowed age. Cigarettes contradict the means of handling the war on drugs because they actually are the root cause of a far more significant amount of deaths than all other drugs, and yet, the perfect paradox is displayed by the government still allowing a taxed price that its citizens pay for ultimately in exchange for death. Then there is alcohol, which was once illegal, though the citizens continued to ignore the law as they sold and consumed alcohol regardless. Because crime had reached a noticeable high due to the prohibition, alcohol became legal under certain restrictions like age. With this example, the war on drugs could be perceived as hypocritical as the government undermines the negative consequences of a drug as long as it has benefits, which with the legalization of alcohol would be the decrease in crime. Today, alcohol is another extreme factor for many people’s deaths, as it can lead to drunk driving accidents, irreversible physical diseases and ailments, and alcoholism just to name a few. People even continue to argue over alcohol’s legality today. In a study conducted in 2010 by scientists and authorities alike, it was discovered that, on a scale of how harmful substances are, alcohol scored a 72 out of 100, whereas heroin was behind at a 55. The odd twist here, though, is that despite being more harmful, alcohol is legal!

Drugs That Are Illegal

The debate about the war on drugs is usually thought to be more on the use of illegal drugs and what the government can do to stop it. For years, the government has put a great focus on placing blame on the users, creating large amounts of people incarcerated and causing taxes to soar to extreme heights. This is where the most controversy takes place, especially in current time, as many people are beginning to hear more about alcoholism and addiction being classified as an actual disease, not a moral dilemma. Viewing the obsession of alcohol and drugs as a disease, puts the war on drugs front burner because many people become outraged that authorities place them in prisons when they should be receiving treatment for their disease. Even in today’s time, New Jersey’s Governor Chris Christie has said that the war on drugs has failed. Looking at other options of how to prevent more deaths as a result of drugs and addictions, he has stated that there needs to be more focus on how to help these non-violent crime offenders, rather than treat the use of drugs as the moral dilemma that it is most frequently thought to be.

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